New-York tribune., 1887-12-12
AMERICAN ENGRAVING.
A xorAgLx COLLECTION.
<NcnAyfxas on WOOD With rsxt by W. N. LArFAs
uarrar q Bro;hsra

AmArfcan Society OF Wood EuSraVers n"S oo"p'e'o~'
ana Harper & Brothers have pdbsaed. collection OF
oos cperaytugs which adequately represents the only
40. AZ tho grahc arts in which America has attained
en,uence 1t Is practically true that wood engrav-
tns "A an art had recognizable existence IN this
country until tho publication In 1913 OF bible with
wood engraviugs by Adams, pupil Of Anderson, who
vas a follower OF Bewics The opening OF the third
quarter Of the century followed by rapid increase
sn ths amount Of wood engraving OF which, like
tha admirable work of Messrs. Linton, Anthony and
usrsh has permansnt value; but American wood
cuerayng as 1t exists to-day, dates back only TO the
eary seventies The practice Of photographng upon the
block the drawing painting to be reproduced which
was first done by English illustrated journal about
1870 was adopcf almost at the outset by the magazine
now called sThe Century" The change OF course
amounted nearly to a revolution. The artists WHO had
before been cramped by the necessity for iaoorous
linear drawing the block found themselves aoie 10
work in any medium any scale, with the utmost
freedom Of execution The engraVer' VINO hsa
previously followed the lines on the block perhaps
drawing from n paiuting was enabled to work prac'
t.av from the painting itself Photography gave him
the lines OF his subject For his tones ne cohs'eu 'c
original Drawing for illustration when frcea 'rop 'S
yexatious restrictions attracted many OF the young
artists who, fifteen years ago. were beginning W orins
back to us the results of the best foreign training
Among these results better appreciation OF coer
values and a stronger feeling for To these quail
flies the cngrayers were Immediately sensitive and they
speey reflected the endeavor for truth OF tone anu 10
somc extent for truth Of texture which has becomes
characteristic OF molcrn art and is now to be noted IN
etching as well as wood engraving. But the use OF
photography and growth In appreciation OF color rea
uops and harmonies constituted influences which
Affected us IN common with England and the Continent
and indeed later time. Nevertheless our ehgfaVers
have outstripped their foreign brethren All me PRIV
iecs which they enjoy have been shared ny others pu
their own quick artistic perception. marvellous manual
1nftoo ~
resources placed American wood engrasers Tar In
advance Of the English or the French, TO whom tne
Germans are confessedly inferior 1t is not possible 10
claim the existence OF an American school OF pahuhe
but In applied art recognize an American schoei
OF embroidery and in nterpretave art we may DO justly
crout of the preeinen Mt American school OF wood en-
craving.
The relative popular Importance OF this admirable col
lection and Of the solitary example Of pure lne wcn
hangs unnoticed in the present Academy exhoion IN
dcaes the relative popular success OF two nethous vi
INTERPRETATION 1t is not within our purpose to thres
over the straw Of this controversy but 1t Is hardy us
to beg the question Mr. Lafan has done IN MS cNcei
,ent introduction If we take standards the
engravings which have preserved Tor us he worh Vi
Durer and OF Hoben. and compare with theh 'he eA
ampcs Of initiative engraving Ia this coiSction we sha
find that some the latter open TO the charge OF
oyerrehnement and abandonment OF line ana coh-
seauent sacrifice of form Even Mr. Closson one OF the
.,ht,e.t and most charming OF engravers, may DC
held responsible for some over rennemeho III ilo
Iisteners" while Miss Powell, Mr.. Davis and MT ell
ington show more vagueness in the management Oh
background ana details than be necessary On the
other hand when truth OF form Is preserved py tne
engraver 1t is surely no more needfu that ne snou'u
ansterty to its furthes length in the use OF naaed
line than that he should restrict himself to blacS ihe
work because Hoben did not understand white line ana
avail himself OF It's assistance Wood engraving Is no
longer a matter OF following draughtsmans hnes' ou'
rcafe
and a. the present demand Is that his lines ana ao'
sha he arranged secure the closest reproduc-
ton IL fair infer that some OF the apparent weak
ness and washness OF current WOOD engraving 10 uue W
the pancr the worker in gouache rather 'nah W
The There are two points which the extreme
d.pn.apts have overlooked Even II grant that the
advocates of pure line are right In their conception Oh
the provlnce of engraving may not reasonably
he deubted whether this engraving would ever
have attained popularity approaching that OF Tue INN
school We have had stronger exponent Oh tho
une than Mr.. Lnton Suppose The Century " ana
IHarper" year after year had given us engravhgs oy
Mr. Linton and by his pupils, engravers OF the same
schoo Suppose these magazines had excluded engraV.
lngs Initiating original effects, indicating the oisiu
process aiming at increased delicacy IN graaa'ios
AMI snbter grays fuller charoscure. finer suggestions
az color and perfect tonay impossible to belieVe
,h,t ucb conrse would have procured for wood ell
craving its present popularity In tLis case the arsu
ment OF expedcncy is justishle because wood ensra
,,oi. IN ~ sclf the most democratic all 1t affords
the best chance Of interesting the people In art ana s
chance ahould not be lessencd With the audience for
artistic WORK secured the vague process known as
cultivation" may begin But 1t is necessary frst 10
,eeure an audience This the initiative school or woou
eusraying has done. Whatever NAV he IT'S exccsses OF
sortcomngs il has interested the public in method Oh
Interpretation which has been most skiliuy practisei
By men who are certainly artists. Morevcr tuese en-
rravers-and this is second poin-have carnca ior
in
lgnor. the body or substance of original to slight
leta to try color at the expense OF form anu even
perspective, and to generaze " backgrounds uh'ii
sven outline These tho criticisms wnich nave
been passed upon school for several years. ou'
meantime our ensravers have not been standing stl'
A thsy have advanced they have grown more catholic
and the critic who to-day describes American wooa en-
gravers unable unwilling to work IN honcsI he'
unaware of their present capabilities
II would not he fair to cite Coles engraving which
preserves admirably spirit aud character OF Gottos
nto nbment" as illustration of this point ior MI
Cole even before he came be ranked as the hrst OF eur
,ngrayers amply demonstrated his mastery OF pure
line Mr.. Krue. who has done plenty OF nn''a'i'e
work. certainly proves an aphty 10 "o'S
In line in his superb of Hunt head distinguished
ny conscientious regard for truth OF form MT frehch
An hi. exceent engraving after Mr. Millet furnishes
auo her example OF sound linear work and care 1or
form and detail Mr. King Mr Johnson and others oner
similar examples illustrating form expressed oy i"e
work, while regards tone ana coor INC cohec'io"
includes some remarkable performances. Mr.. Kings
leys engraving after Mr.. Ryier's Fantasy Is tour
ic forcs in its rendering OF color and extraordinary
y,natons Mr. King has preserved perfectly the tones
Of Mr. Churchs picture and Mr. johnson has expressed
aapply the color values Of Mr. Aexanders portrait Of
e coseness with which engravers can render the
rechniaue OF the original Mr. Kingseys engraving after
M,. RYDER and Mr.. VOLTS after Mr.. Clifford. present
Interesting examples so far tone goes the engraving
after Mr. Blackjack by Mr. Putnam is hardly true, Tor
Ne darks where tho white dot has been perhaps 100
freely usei lack richness AMI funess but perhaps the
effect Is partly due printing and may not appear
In the proofs
The twenty five engravngs. the work OF bfteen ars'S
70 whom public is every month placed undcr oosf